Full-Body Burns

21 People set themselves on fire yesterday in Cleaveland in a successful attempt to break the world record for most people completely set on fire at once, or most participants in a "full-body burn." No, this wasn't a mass suicide attempt. They were all wearing protective gear that prevented any of them from getting seriously injured. I wouldn't say the demonstration set a good example, but it was for a good cause. Most of the proceeds went to the local food bank.

Here's the video

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/bestoftv/2013/10/20/nr-lemon-cleveland-people-burning-record.cnn&hpt=hp_c3&from_homepage=yes

Tibetan Self-Immolations

This story did remind me of another under-publicized phenomena that has been going on for several years. Tibetan refugees living in India and Nepal, have been setting themselves on fire, burning themselves to death, in protest of the Chinese occupation and cultural genocide perpetrated in Tibet. 

This graphic display should not be taken lightly. This man, and more than 100 others have been voluntarily consumed by flames since the trend began. It is a horrifying phenomena that must be brought to an end. 

Although surely politically motivated, in hope that China will someday return Tibetan sovereignty to the Himalayan nation, which was invaded and taken over in 1949, this practice is extreme and my be contrary to traditional Tibetan beliefs. It seems minuscule when compared to the over 100,000 Tibetans that have been killed by the Chinese since the Occupation began in 1949. However, any desecration of human life is seen as a great loss from a Buddhist view. These human bodies have a great potential, because we can use them to benefit others, develop positive Karma, and eventually lead us to enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, the spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism has called for an immediate halt to the immolations. Karmapa said, "This is definitely not a practice of Buddhism. I strongly wish this would soon stop. The practice of Buddhist dharma is our greatest inheritance as Tibetans. This enjoins upon us to preserve the human existence. It is through this ... that we are able to achieve liberation.” Karmicly speaking It is said that taking ones own life is equivalent to the intentional murder of 1000 Buddhas. Although what the Chinese have done in Tibet is definitely wrong, and a crime against a culture that is valued throughout the world, suicide is unjustified in all cases.

Karmapa is seen here blessing one of his predecessor's (the 16 Karmapa) students, Lama Ole Nydahl. Lama Ole has taught Tibetan Buddhism to countless students during his nearly 45 years of teaching, and continues to travel around the entire world once a year making the dharma easily accessible to all those interested. Teachers like Lama Ole and the Karmapa help spread an awareness of traditional Buddhist values and teachings that can help lead beings toward the cessation of all suffering, or enlightenment. Self immolation, suicide, and actually all forms of negative actions stemming from the confusion of disturbing emotions, are just a part of the cyclic wheel of existence within dualistic reality, and they only create more negative karma that one will have to burn off through purification in future lifetimes.

Depicted hereis the Tibetan Wheel of Life. It shows the six realms. The lower realms include the hells, hungry ghost, and animal realms, while the upper realms show the gods, demi gods, and human realms. The wheel turns and turns as beings traverse endlessly from one life to the next according to their karma. The only way to escape this never ending cycle is by recognizing one's mind, which is most effectively accomplished within the human realm. 

While each human has this precious human birth, it is best that it is used accumulating merit and wisdom, practicing selfless compassion, and practicing the dharma so that eventual liberation and enlightenment can be reached. Negative actions, especially that of taking ones own life as in an immolation, should be avoided at all cost, because they create obscurations on the path to enlightenment.

16th Karmapa Stupa Crestone

 The 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, is the 16th incarnation of the Karmapa, meaning "Master of all Buddha activity."

Karmapa is a Bodhisattva who reincarnates over and over again for the benefit of sentient beings. he is a highly realized mediation master, who has conquered disturbing emotions and taken control of the death process. Karmapa leaves a note every time he dies, explaining with precision where he will be reborn and who his parents will be. He is generally born knowing and, as soon as he can speak, telling people that he is Karmapa.

 Karmapa's current incarnation was telling his parents he was
Karmapa at age 3, and began giving teachings around age six.

The 17th Karmapa is a brilliantly vibrant young man named Trinley Thaye Dorje. Although forced out of Tibet, Karmapa has been able to further expand his scope of influence to the western world, and thus benefit many more countless beings through his great example.

We can have confidence in the teachings, and comfortable with our own death due to Karmapa's teachings and example. Because he is able to make the transition between life, death, and his next life so easily, as if he were merely changing clothes, he is able to show us that it is nothing to fear, and may in fact be a great opportunity to benefit many beings.

Karmapa was foretold of by the Buddha Shakyamuni, and has himself demonstrated amazing foresight. He left Tibet eight years before the Chinese invasion, and was able to bring many of his students and followers to freedom in India.

17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje

There exists a controversy amongst those unenlightened of us concerning the identity of the 17th Karmapa. . .

One of Karmapa's closest students Tai Situ Rinpoche, in a desperate attempt to seize control of the power structure of the lineage, produced a false letter concerning the whereabouts of the  new incarnation and took it upon himself to go find the boy.

After several scandals involving Tai Situ, including embezzlement, forgery, switching of his chosen candidate, and the fact that Orgyen Trinley is too old to possibly be the Karmapa, it is clear to those who are thinking for themselves just what is going on.

This scandal however, is very welcomed and has turned out to be a true blessing. Because of this other candidate, and his allegiance to Tai Situ, who works well with the Chinese oppressors for monetary reasons, our blessed H.H. The Karmapa Thaye Dorje has no need to fear for his life or persecution from the Chinese.

The Dalai Lama has been threatened and persecuted by the Chinese ceaselessly since he left Tibet. It is such a blessing that the Chinese now have their very own puppet Karmapa to tote around and not bother any of the true clear-minded practitioners just trying to meditate.

This also protects our lineage immensely from clouded and confused people, who would otherwise be infiltrating our ranks, possibly having disturbed ideas, unconstructive attitudes, or other personal issues which may cause distractions for many of us just trying to meditate. After all, it is clear from Buddha's teachings that there exists no permanent or real 'Self' with which to experience disturbing emotions or to have issues which may harm, instead of benefit others.

Orgyen Trinley (Chinese Karmapa)

Surely H. H. the 16th Karmapa knew what he was doing, because he kept closest to him not only Shamar Rinpoche, who discovered the 17th incarnation, but also Tai Situ, who recognizes the Chinese Karmapa. As a highly realized and enlightened master, The Karmapa is able to see the past, present, and future, down to the smallest detail. It is often said that an enlightened man is not only able to tell what is being made in the kitchen next door, he is also able to tell what is being thought by the cook while he is making it.

It is so beautiful, and I am so grateful for Orgyen Trinley, who will be considered a great Bodhisattva later on, because he is essentially protecting the real Karmapa from Chinese persecution. Also, he is acting as if he were Karmapa, so it is inevitable that he must learn the teachings of the Buddha, and of the Kagyu lineage, and transmit them to the best of his abilities to the Chinese and anyone else with a confused mind. This is surely an arduous task, that will require great skill and accumulate much merit.

16th Karmapa Rigpe Dorje

Karmapa is such a great Bodhisattva and leader of the spiritual lineage of the Karma Kagyu, which means 'oral transmission.'
The third Karmapa was the teacher of the first Dalai Lama, and has made an impact on the world in every one of his incarnations. His 17th incarnation will be no exception I'm sure, as Rigpe Dorje explicitly stated during his life many times, that his next reincarnation would be better than he was, which would seem incredible to those who knew or experienced this highly accomplished master.

Countless miraculous events surrounded to life of Rigpe Dorje, and his death was such an auspicious one as well. He confounded doctors who attended him, by keeping his heart center warm for three days following clinical death, and then shrunk his body to less than two feet tall, as an alternate display of the renowned rainbow body, after taking on about a dozen diseases, and prior to his cremation.

We are a part of the Vajrayana Buddhist Sangha or community, practicing through the assistance and guidance of Lama Ole Nydahl, who was instructed by the Sixteenth Karmapa to bring Tibetan Buddhism to the west, and has done just that. Lama Ole and his wife Hannah have started over 650 Buddhist center world wide.

Ole continues to benefit countless beings, by making himself available as a teacher, and traveling the entire world twice a year.

My wife and I are seen here in front of the Stupa Rigpe Dorje built in Crestone, CO. We were visiting the area, because our Diamond Way U.S. Sangha is in the process of purchasing an area of land less than an hour from the Stupa that will become  North America's largest Vajrayana retreat land. It is such a special area, that our Lama Ole found while traveling through. He noticed such auspicious signs there that he just had to make it a point to turn it  into a Buddhist refuge, so that we can all go and meditate there together.

Future Cabin and Gompa at Dakini Ranch

The site has adopted the name 'Dakini Ranch,' and from my own personal experience I can say that it definitely has quite a unique feel, as if floating in the clouds, and there are many auspicious features to it. We so look forward to having such an amazing place as a retreat center so close to our home, as it is only 4 hours drive for us.

It is such an inspiration to have a teacher like Lama Ole. He has made all of our activity possible, and I am so grateful. He is easily accessible for those who would wish to meet him. 

Please visit:

 http://www.diamondway.org/us/

or

http://www.diamondway-buddhism.org/